Sunday, May 26, 2013

The Last Point of Light: Science-Fantasy Mini-Campaign

I've been dragging ass a bit design
inspiration-wise with the eponymous campaign of this here blog. One
of the better burnout cures I have found is to throw some energy into
an intentionally limited and decidedly different toned game. The
Space Cantons and Wilderness crawl mini-campaigns, the TSR
Conan and Boot Hill one-shots all were enjoyable diversions and I
came out refocused on the center-stage efforts.This time around I stepped backed and
tried reviving a campaign seed idea that spawned one of the most
feverishly imaginative contests I have had the pleasure of sponsoring
here: the Point of Light/Last Bastion of Man. As my fair city was
flooding yesterday, I drew up some notes for an AD&D/Mutant
Future mash-up flavored/inspired by dollops of The Night Land,
Moebius's Arzach (and Dune drawings), Blood Meridian,
Kung Fu 2100, and the three love-children worlds of friends
(that I have so greatly admired): Oriax, Uz and Krul.PremiseWho remembers what brought our ruin in
the end​? The troubles and tribulations, cataclysms and crises fell
so thick in number those many centuries ago that forgetting and
hiding became one of the higher arts of survival. What remains of
human civilization is clustered in a high, narrow mountain basin
roughly 90 square miles in area, a high, lost enclave harboring
15,000 souls.About a third live in the ruins of
a former great city. Life there, though a shadow of what came before,
is highly refined with a tendency to rumination on the abstract and
cerebral doctrines—and sensuous vices of the flesh. The rest of the
valley is more rough and tumble, there the population holds on in
semi-fortified villages dominated by wild religious rites.Centuries of inwardness, fear, and the
lasting effects of a great purge of remnant books and other
intellectual artifacts have limited the bastion’s knowledge of the
outside world to what can be surveyed from the surrounding peaks:
jagged foothills, vine-choked forests, giant fungus groves, ash
wastes, and the hints of a green-stoned cyclopean ruin that can only
be Shining Yashabbla, the Ancient Capital of Man. Beyond the horizon
lurks a vast wilderness haunted by bands of inhuman reaving bands and
the truly monstrous. Something has shifted in the valley in
the last decade, the rulers of the land have finally opened up that
last safety valve to keep their control of the last bastion:
permission to explore beyond the peaks. The insane, the maladjusted,
and restless dregs of the citizenry answer the call.

Chargen Steps1. Roll/Pick House
and Race2. Roll 4d6 drop the
lowest IN ORDER for attributes3. Pick Class. Take
maximum hit points.4. Roll 3d6 for your
“Social Rank”. This multiplied by 10 is your starting gold
(called Domars).5. Buy stuff.Starting HouseFrom the most indolent noble to the
basest toiler, all in the Valley claim descent from mythological
hero-ancestors. Over the centuries society has settled into a
number of broad clan-castes around such claims (which are themselves
sub-divided into internal prestige ranks).Roll d10 or Pick1
House of Drugan the Render of Bodies: Human +1 STR, +1 starting hp
and free melee weapon2
House of Kaimos the Starbird: Human +1 INT. Minor artifact of GM’s
choice.3
House of Cragon the Soul-Auger: Human +1 WIS. Speak with the Dead
once a month.4
House of Tathos the Deathstealer: Human +1 DEX. Reroll one roll once
a session.5
House of Reydan the Redhelm: Human +1 CON. +1 Social Rank and free
helmet.6
House of Guiking the Gilded: Human +1 CHA. +2 to Social Rank and
Dogman servant.7
House of Wozan the Clonemaster: Replicant see below8
House of Xhom the Contumelious : Dwarf see below9
House of Raztin the Ever-Faithful: Dogman see below10
Servants of the Steel Spire: Human Mutant see below

“Races”Humans“Pure” humans (all citizens carry
some trace mutation) can be of any class.MutantsRoll Class 1 positive mutation and one
Class 1 drawback mutation from the Mazes and Mutants chart. If
Dwarfism is rolled, the mutant is automatically treated as a Dwarf as
below. The drawback mutation is kept but a new positive mutation is
rolled. They are restricted to the martial roles of fighting man,
monk or ranger by their caste upbringing.Dwarfs-1 STR, +1 DEX or INT. Can be fighters
or specialists. Mechanically they enjoy the same advantages as the
B/X Halfling. As a tinkering caste they gain a +10% bonus when
learning or repairing artifacts.Replicants+1 to any 2 attributes, -2 CHAReplicants are easily recognized by the
limited clone archetype population, and considered by most to be
really creepy. Will often die inexplicably in five years. Cannot be a
magic user or white wizard.Dogmen+1 STR or DEX, -1 INTCan bite for 1d4 damage. Fighting man
or ranger only.

ClassesNo minimum attribute prereqs are
required.Fighting ManNo weapon, armor or artifact
restrictions. Hit Dice 1d10MonkNo armor but can use DEX bonus for AC,
Control of Self power as per Empire of the Petal Throne at 1st
level, +1 to hit with unarmed attacks. Cannot use projectile or
energy ranged weapon.Magic UserCan wear Fur armor and Otus helmet,
able to use blackpowder weapons otherwise normal weapon restrictions.
Spells require only mental concentration.White WizardCalled “Priest”, can wear Fur or
Leather, +5% to figuring out artifacts, can use any ranged weapon.RangerCalled “Marchwarden”, +1 to hit
with any ranged weapon, cannot wear Ceramic Plate.SpecialistCalled “Tinker”. As per
Lamentations, restricted to leather and under armor but can use
shield.WeaponsSwords and daggers cost three times as
much due to the metal shortage. All other weapons with a metal
component cost twice as much. Bone or stone can be substituted at
normal listed cost but are -1 damage.Firelance, one-shot gunpowder tube
attached to spear, 1d8 damage, 20’ range, 15 domarsBlackpowder charge, 5 domars per shotFlintlock, 1d10 damage with exploding
dice on a natural “10”. 3 rounds to reload. 80 domarsWar-Arquebus (flintlock carbine with
handaxe or short sword attached to stock) 100 domars